Wind and solar power are great renewable energy resources that have no detrimental effects on the environment. Due to the adverse effects on the environment from our current methods of obtaining fossil fuels and disposing of their waste byproducts, wind and solar power are excellent forms of alternative energy.

The sunlight available to the globe is more abundant than the energy that can be consumed by all the people living on the planet. Locations that receive high concentrations of sunlight (meaning less cloud cover and light blocking from the mountain range) would be a great place to start. There should be solar energy education for people in these areas, such as desert regions and seemingly arid but developing countries, so that they can make the most efficient use of the sun’s rays.

Wind renewable energy also has prime locations where it can be used. As T. Boone Pickens informed us a couple of years ago, there is a large wind tunnel stretching from Texas to the Canadian border where wind can be used as a major energy resource. This quantity and quality of wind speeds led him to call the United States the Saudi Arabia of the wind.

In either case, if your property is applicable, wind and solar energy can be used for various household needs, such as heating water and certainly generating electricity. This is true wherever the house is located.

The most attractive option for many people is solar energy. Although this is a more expensive initial power option than other sources, people are realizing that the use of alternative energy is highly beneficial to the user and the environment.

For people considering wind and solar power, there are subsidies and tax breaks available in some states to offset the upfront costs. The local utility company can also help those interested. If new power generation facilities provide more than a household can use, the excess could be sold to the utility provider as a credit.

The beauty of installing solar energy is the immediate impact it has on your monthly electricity bill and how much lower it will be. If enough equipment is installed to utilize sunlight, you may never have to pay an electric bill again.

Another benefit of installing wind and solar energy is the impact it has on the value of the home, should you decide to sell it. If you are interested in what your home would fetch on the open market with renewable energy installations, call your local real estate agent. They should be well acquainted with the going prices in the neighborhood and the value of the improvement, and this should help them give you an estimate.

People are willing to pay more for houses that have wind and solar power generators installed. This causes a significant increase in the value of the home. The National Association of Real Estate Appraisers has said that every dollar saved by using renewable energy increases a home’s value twenty times.

To optimize the efficiency of the green renewable energy sources used in the home, the home must be audited for its energy demand and what can be done to reduce it. Are indoor climate, lighting, and hot water demands under efficient control? Is there proper sealing and foam insulation around all windows and closed doors? Are the walls, attic and basement properly insulated?

It is not necessary to know the energy consumed if steps are not taken to ensure that energy use can be reduced. Energy demand can be reduced by choosing the highest rated Energy Star appliances. Improvements in all of these areas will provide lower energy demand, and this value will be more easily met by wind and solar power generators.

Increasing the energy efficiency of the home will lead to a home that consumes much less energy. The immeasurable rewards of a greener world and a bigger bank account come from these energy efficiency improvements, combined with installations of wind and solar power technologies.